Two of a Kind (Kindred short story)
by Zurixox
Summary: Kindred is the white embrace of nothingness and the gnashing of teeth in the dark. Shepherd and the butcher, poet and the primitive, they are one and both.


_"Lamb, tell me a story.."_

"There was once a pale man with dark hair who was very lonely..."

_"Why was it lonely?"_

"All things must meet this man, so they shunned him."

_"Did he chase them all?"_

"He took an axe, and split himself in two..."

_"So he would always have a friend...?"_

"...So he would always have a friend."

* * *

The moon glistened in the sky, shining down upon two spirits. A white lamb, and a shadowed wolf.

A middle aged man roams the woods, a gun strapped to his side as he tries to seek out his next meal, oblivious to the silence that has fallen around him due to the presence of death itself.

_"Tell me again, little Lamb, which things are mine to take?"_ Wolf asks in a growl.

"All things, dear Wolf." Lamb replies soothingly.

The two spirits walk among each other, Lamb gracefully skipping while Wolf floats smoothly beside her. They stalk the man, waiting until their opportunity arises.

The man falls to his knees, hands covering his face as his sanity slowly fades due to starvation. Nothing was left of his world, and he had not eaten in days, possibly weeks. He didn't know anymore.

_"I see water!"_ Wolf grumbles out.

"They are called... tears." Lamb replies, quietly stepping closer to the man.

Lamb walks in front of the man, him still oblivious to her arrival. Wolf follows behind her, floating restlessly at her side as he waits for his mark.

"Beauty fades. That is why it is beautiful." Lamb says softly.

The man slowly removes his hands from his face and looks at the kindred duo, eyes widened and bloodshot stare at them. He sits there, staring, wondering if this is reality, or if he really had lost all of his sanity.

"We are not dreams. We are the waking." Lamb says, answering his thoughts, only causing the mans eyes to grow wider.

The man watches as Lamb slowly moves around him, each step graceful, so calming yet so terrifying. Wolf follows smoothly beside her, watching the mans every move, his eyes not moving away from the mans for even a second.

_"I smell fear."_ Wolf growls out, excitement filling his eyes. "Does it see us, Lamb?"

"Yes, but it must choose. Feed the Wolf, or embrace me."

The man sat and stared, fear racing through his body as he stares at the duo, still not knowing exactly what he is seeing. The man stands up and reaches for his gun, but stops as a loud growl fills the air.

"You overstep." Lamb says, Wolf guarding the front of her.

The man drops his hand, then looks down, tears streaming down his face. He falls to his knees once more, unable to handle the mixed feelings of fear and guilt as his life flashes through his mind.

The man stops after a few minutes, silence surrounding him once more. He quickly looks up, only to see the duo gone. He takes this time to stand up and run as fast as his feet will carry him.

He runs deeper into the forest, tripping over logs and stray roots as he panics, attempting to get as far away from where he was. The more he ran, the more his exhaustion took over, but he refused to stop. Not until he knew he was alone.

Lamb skips swiftly to the side, out of sight of the man but close enough to where she can observe him as he runs. Wolf follows closely, keeping up Lambs pace as they follow their prey elegantly.

_"It thinks it can beat us!"_ Wolf growls playfully.

"This is called... denial." Lamb replies.

Soon, the man was too exhausted to run any further, and he stumbles to the ground, gasping for air as his lungs sting from pushing himself more than he can handle. The man glances up, the kindred duo appearing once more in his vision, only for him to blink and see nothing but trees.

"Panic not when life ebbs." Lamb speaks, hidden to the eye of the man.

The man looks around frantically, just to fall back and continue trying to control his breathing. Once he does as best as he can, he sits up, only to catch the eyes of Wolf. He quickly pushes himself back in fear, eyes wide as he stares at the duo once more.

"Choose now - my arrows..." Lamb says softly.

_"...or my teeth?!"_ Wolf growls.

The man continues to stare in fear. Head dropping as he finally gives in, realizing this is his end. What was left for life anyways? He had nothing, and he was close to insanity. Death would only free him. So he sat there, showing the duo that he would no longer deny them.

Lamb takes out her bow and pulls back a white arrow, the moon shining brightly onto her as Wolf towers behind her, his eyes not leaving the man.

"Depart in peace." Lamb says as she releases the arrow, it penetrating the mans chest.

He falls back once more, eyes closed as his soul leaves his body. Wolf stalks towards the mans corpse, sniffing it, then biting the man neck and yanking back, making sure death had found the man.

"Our mark is lifted." Lamb says softly, watching Wolf closely as the arrow in the mans chest fades into nothing.

_"Who's next?!"_ Wolf asks excitedly.

"Rush not, Wolf." Lamb says, turning and walking away, Wolf following behind. "As there are many more for you to chase."

* * *

"Are you there, dear Wolf?"

_"I am, little Lamb."_

"Are you sad?"

_"I am."_

"What does it feel like?"

_"A long hunt with no kill."_


End file.
